ELWOOD — Democrats here said the 2008 presidential race gave them an opportunity to showcase the city’s blue history.

After favoring George W. Bush four years ago, Elwood precincts did a flip to the left in support of Sen. Barack Obama last Tuesday.

The election results did not surprise Debra Seres, an organizer in Pike Creek Township’s Fourth Precinct.

“This has been a Democrat stronghold for eons,” she said. “When manufacturing went out, things kind of changed. I think the Democrats let their guard down, and now we’re organized again.”

Seres and others said the area’s suffering economy motivated many people to support a change in the nation’s leading party.

Elwood has suffered through several business closings this year, resulting in high unemployment and home foreclosures.

“Everyone is fed up with the Republicans and they way Bush has done things,” said Steve Richards, another Democrat organizer.

HR Miller, a Republican precinct committeeman in Elwood, agreed the economy hurt his party, but the blame was unjust.

“You just blame it on whoever is in power,” he said. “With all the news media that’s been given to Obama, people just went wild for the idea and didn’t really know who he was.”

Also, in a community where only three decades ago the Ku Klux Klan held major sway, some Democrats worried that people wouldn’t support a black presidential candidate. But Seres said she was surprised by how eager many people were to support Obama without any regard for his race.

And as Richards said, “It’s not 1970 anymore.”